Service Project: Run a Food Bridge Donation Drive

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Can YOU Help Us Feed Local Families In Crisis?

Britepaths has a great ongoing need for donations of gift cards to major local grocery stores to help local families who are in crisis or working to achieve financial stability. Suggested stores include Giant Food, Safeway and Aldi. It is most helpful to have higher denominations if possible (eg. $50, $100), but any size gift card will help. Cash donations are also greatly appreciated to help us purchase gift cards with the bulk discounts we receive.

We also have a great ongoing need for supplies for our Emergency Pantry. Here are some ideas and instructions for choosing the drive that will work best for you or your organization.

Group/Neighborhood Grocery Store Gift Card Drive

Help our families by asking friends, neighbors, colleagues and group members to donate gift cards. When the project leader has collected all donations, the project leader should arrange in advance to bring them to Britepaths, and a staff member will meet the project leader outside our building to collect the donations. Here’s how:

  1. Put out the word via email or social media to your family, friends, neighbors, group members, etc. that you’re collecting grocery store gift cards in $25 denominations to help Britepaths’ families.
  2. If you tag us on social media, we’ll share! @britepaths on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
  3. When you’ve collected the gift cards, use the contact information below to arrange the delivery. We’ll meet you at your car/in our building parking lot at the agreed-upon time.
  4. Our office hours are typically Monday-Friday from 10a-2p, but this can vary sometimes. It’s important for us to know in advance that this donation is coming in order for us to be able to receive it.

Donation Drives to Stock Our Pantry

Britepaths provides families with a grocery store gift card so they can purchase fresh, nourishing foods that meet their family’s dietary needs. We supplement the gift cards with personal hygiene and household items that can be expensive to purchase so they can focus their gift card funds on food. Running a donation drive is a wonderful service project that makes a real difference for our neighbors who are experiencing a crisis.

Organization/Neighborhood Drive: Many companies, organizations and families have enjoyed running donation drives within their organizations or neighborhoods to help our families. See our Pantry Donation page for our list of needs and delivery information. You might also encourage people to order via our Amazon Wish List.

Grocery Store Drive: Many grocery stores are once again allowing groups to run donation drives outside of their stores. If your group would like to run a drive for Britepaths at a grocery store, you will need one or more people who are 18 or older to serve as Volunteer Coordinator(s) to oversee the entire project. This includes scheduling the drive with the desired grocery store, receiving flyers and table supplies from Britepaths, scheduling volunteers and ensuring that someone 18+ is overseeing volunteers and the collection box at all times on the day of the drive, and delivering the donations to Britepaths after the drive. Click Here for Instructions (pdf)

We Also Greatly Welcome Funds Toward the Purchase of Gift Cards

  • Donate Online (type “Food Bridge” in the donor comments)
  • Mail a check to Britepaths at our address below; write “Food Bridge” in the memo line.
  • Run a Virtual Campaign: Create a personalized fundraising page that is easy to customize and fun to use. Share the link widely with your personal network. The setup takes 2 minutes, and the funds raised will feed families in need if you tell us that’s the purpose. Click Here to get started.
  • Donate/Fundraise via your Facebook or Instagram: Donate via our Facebook or Instagram profiles, run a Facebook Fundraiser, or designate Britepaths in a Facebook post or Instagram post or story.

Contact Information

Britepaths
3959 Pender Drive, Suite 200
Fairfax, VA 22030
Cora Lundgren
Email: info@britepaths.org
Phone: 703.273.8829